Acer preps Atom-based Windows Home Server PC

Speaking of netbooks and servers, Acer is apparently cooking up a home server system based on Intel's Atom processor. According to CNet Japan, the Acer Aspire easyStore H340 will come out on March 6, and the base model with 1TB of storage will cost ¥59,800 ($610). A 3TB version priced at ¥89,800 ($916) will also be available.

The easyStore H340 will feature a 1.6GHz Atom 230 processor—the same single-core CPU you can find in cheap nettops—as well as 1GB of RAM and a copy of Microsoft's Windows Home Server operating system. A different report by PC Watch also mentions five USB ports, one external Serial ATA port, Gigabit Ethernet, and dimensions of 200 x 220 x 212 mm (7.9" x 8.7" x 8.3").

Going by the photos on CNet and PC Watch, the easyStore H340 looks almost like a half-height version of HP's MediaSmart server—except the HP system has Intel Celeron or AMD Sempron processors, less RAM, and lower price tags in its cheaper iterations (the EX470 model sells for just $519 at Buy.com). Considering the cost of Atom hardware and storage these days, though, Acer could conceivably undercut HP without too much trouble.